· Home security/monitoring: It can complement various applications of wearable devices for reducing risk to health and property, and help Insurance providers.

The initiatives from leading vendors, like Apple, Google, Microsoft and Samsung is expected to lead the way for the ecosystem. While some of these have been steps in right direction, the plethora of diverse activities needs co-ordination to hasten maturity of ecosystem, and improve customer experience.

The relevance of existing short-range communication technology alliances (ZigBee, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Thread, Insteon, etc.) will depend on patronage from the leading vendors. As of now, each of these vendors has stuck to their proprietary platforms. In this scenario, end-users will have to rely on third-party aggregation platforms, which can interact with all relevant communication technologies and control appliances. Various telcos have been experimenting to provide home automation services, where they provide services for equipment monitoring and control, as well.

Example: A start-up Wink is working with retailers like Home Depot to educate end-users. Two start-ups focusing on related areas got acquired, recently: Google Nest acquired Revolv and Samsung acquired SmartThings.

The developments this year in “Smart Home” carried forward the concepts of:

The Smart Grid stakeholders will look forward to include monitoring of sources of energy (Electricity and Gas) into “Smart Home” ecosystem. As Green Button data is already available for mobile devices, integrating them with “Smart Home” applications should be possible. Voice/Gesture-activated commands, Biometric authentication and Geofencing (to trigger location-based triggers) will shape the user interface.

A large number of vendor initiatives have been observed in 2014 to realize the possibilities of “Smart Home”:

· Google’s acquisition of Nest learning thermostat

· Samsung’s unveiling of “Smart Home” concept

· Apple released iOS 8 with HomeKit and Healthkit

· Microsoft partnered with SmartLabs’ Insteon

Most of the benefits for end-users can be segregated into two segments:

· Home security/monitoring: It can complement various applications of wearable devices for reducing risk to health and property, and help Insurance providers.

The initiatives from leading vendors, like Apple, Google, Microsoft and Samsung is expected to lead the way for the ecosystem. While some of these have been steps in right direction, the plethora of diverse activities needs co-ordination to hasten maturity of ecosystem, and improve customer experience.

The relevance of existing short-range communication technology alliances (ZigBee, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Thread, Insteon, etc.) will depend on patronage from the leading vendors. As of now, each of these vendors has stuck to their proprietary platforms. In this scenario, end-users will have to rely on third-party aggregation platforms, which can interact with all relevant communication technologies and control appliances. Various telcos have been experimenting to provide home automation services, where they provide services for equipment monitoring and control, as well.

Example: A start-up Wink is working with retailers like Home Depot to educate end-users. Two start-ups focusing on related areas got acquired, recently: Google Nest acquired Revolv and Samsung acquired SmartThings.

The developments this year in “Smart Home” carried forward the concepts of:

The Smart Grid stakeholders will look forward to include monitoring of sources of energy (Electricity and Gas) into “Smart Home” ecosystem. As Green Button data is already available for mobile devices, integrating them with “Smart Home” applications should be possible. Voice/Gesture-activated commands, Biometric authentication and Geofencing (to trigger location-based triggers) will shape the user interface.

Till now, we have seen telcos taking part in Smart Grid infrastructure as dormant stake-holders. They are offering to manage thermostats of appliances, as broadband service providers. They are offe...
[Read More]

What lesson does CFL adoption in various regions holds for Smart Appliances? Though the benefits are clear in terms of energy usage, major bottleneck has been high initial cost. Regulations have be...
[Read More]

De-regulation can encourage competition, and lead to rapid adoption of modernization. This can help to develop various niche technologies for individual units for grid modernization, retail ma...
[Read More]

Who can take the leadership in developing international standards in smart grid?
As we know, there are many regional standards in electric appliances and telecom infrastructure across the...
[Read More]

While engaging with political bodies inclined to take steps to modernize city infrastructure, Utilities should do adequate home work to present the business case and set proper expectation from the...
[Read More]

In recent CES 2012, we got to know about Smart Appliances supporting variable pricing (and Smart Grid concepts) from Korean majors. While this is a big step forward, it will be beneficial if the eq...
[Read More]

As we here about the reduction in grant in Illinois, for the smart grid investments claimed by Commonwealth Edison; the story seems to be repeating as happening for XCel Energy, Boulder. Government...
[Read More]

Many times in office, I have thought about reducing energy usage at residence. Even in one room of home, I ponder about the electric appliances status in other rooms. The recent developments in Sma...
[Read More]

The scope of Smart Grid initiatives needs to be broaden to include initiatives like Green energy and Sustainability. Currently, Enterprise initiatives related to Corporate Sustainability Repor...
[Read More]

To improve the realization of benefits of Green Button Data, Utilities need to motivate the consumers. They should try to emulate the best practices of Business-to-Consumer industries, like Retaile...
[Read More]

Though, most of the attention of Smart Grid is focused on improving infrastructure for power generation, distribution, transmission and retailing networks, IT modernization can hold the k...
[Read More]

In recent times, telecom networks for both wireless and wireline communications have been modernized by the service providers. During storm outage scenarios, public social networking platforms are...
[Read More]

As the Boulder Smart Grid project by Xcel Energy faces challenge to recover cost, we should take note of the implications for similar projects around the world. Xcel Energy is estimated to have spe...
[Read More]